For many individuals, a trailer pulled behind a truck or car provides an effective tool for transporting a watercraft to and from a body of water for use. Ideally, the trailer is designed to help with the watercraft loading and unloading tasks, as well.
Many types of trailers have been developed in an attempt to ease the boat loading and launching process. Some trailers include a collection of rollers over which a watercraft is rolled during loading and unloading. In theory, the rollers collectively provide a low-friction support surface that allows a boat to move off a trailer, for use in the water, or onto the trailer, for transportation and storage. In actual practice, however, rollers have several drawbacks. Because only a small amount of any given roller contacts the watercraft hull, the rollers tend to develop flat spots, over time. These flat spots reduce the efficiency of a given roller and can produce hull indentations as a watercraft moves across the damaged roller. Additionally, when used in a marine environment, rollers often require increased maintenance to prevent hardware corrosion that would prevent the roller from freezing in place of "seizing up." Rollers that have "seized up" do not roll correctly and actually increase the effort required to move a watercraft onto or off of a given trailer. U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,677, for example, discloses such a roller-type trailer.
Other trailers employ skids/bunks that have lots of bunks or skids to support a watercraft. The skids are typically elongated planks of wood or metal; the skids are often covered with a carpet-like material to reduce hull damage during loading and unloading. Trailers that use skids have several advantages over roller-only trailers, but the use of skids presents disadvantages, as well. Unlike roller-only trailers, trailers that employ skids typically present a relatively-large surface with which to support a watercraft hull. The increased surface reduces point loading on a given watercraft hull, thereby reducing the likelihood of hull damage as the boat is transported from place to place. Unfortunately, the increased amount of contact surface area brings a concomitant increase in friction, making maneuvering a watercraft onto or off of the trailer difficult. Additionally, the skid-covering carpet tends to deteriorate quickly with continued use. And although skids with deteriorated coverings may still support a watercraft, worn spots increase sliding friction and can permanently damage watercraft hulls. Skid-employing trailers often trade one set of problems for another. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,203,563; 3,122,245; 3,228,543 disclose trailers that use bunks or skids.
Other trailers have been designed to address the problems presented by roller-only and carpeted skid trailers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,299, for example, discloses a trailer that employs a collection of slick "glides" to support a watercraft. The glides include hull-contacting surfaces made from low-friction material designed to allow ease of watercraft movement during loading and unloading. Unfortunately, the slick nature of the glides can present a safety issue. In many cases, especially with lighter watercraft, including so-called jet-boats and jet-skis, the watercraft is not held securely during transit. In these cases, the relatively-low weight of the craft does not generate enough downward force to keep the watercraft securely in place on the skids. As a result, the watercraft is easy to load and unload, but may shift dangerously during transit. Larger watercraft present concerns, as well. The inherently-high momentum imparted to large watercraft make glide-employing trailers dangerous. For example, during sudden turns or emergency stopping, the heavy watercraft will tend to continue moving straight ahead, even though the trailer may be stopping or moving along a curved path. While low-friction glides may ease watercraft loading and unloading, their use can be dangerous.
Thus, what is needed is a low-friction, watercraft trailer skid protection device that includes advantages of the known devices, while addressing the shortcomings they exhibit. The protection device should cooperate with existing portions of a trailer to allow a watercraft to be loaded and unloaded easily, while ensuring that the watercraft is held securely during transit. The protection device should not only protect watercraft hulls, but also should protect support skids from becoming worn down with use. The device should allow the protected support skids to dry quickly and should be attached in a manner that allows the device to be removed for replacement or maintenance, if necessary. The device should also be non-corrosive and suitable for use in a marine environment.